Valley
Freeway

Cultural
Resources Notes:

In
1968 the Valley Freeway was completed and extensions through the Sumner
area were completed in the 1970’s. This new freeway replaced
what had been the West and East Valley Highways as the connection
to the north. In approximately
1974 the by-pass of State Route (SR) 410 opened, markedly shifting traffic
patterns. The highway oriented commercial development in east Sumner
is a remnant of
the old SR 410 route through town.

When
Sumner celebrated its centennial in 1991, Mary Elizabeth wrote "Yes,
this freeway serves
our needs and was necessary for growth". She came by her perspective
the hard way. The Valley Freeway disrupted life on a number of farms.
Mary Elizabeth reports that feelings against the freeway ran particularly
high in
an area
called
Strublow’s
Corner. Seven to eight homes on one corner were affected by the State
of Washington’s
decision to build the freeway through their property. Owners had to
choose: They could buy their house back and move it to another location,
or sell it to the state.

Her
own farm, called Montmorenzie after the Montmorency cherry trees they
cultivated in their orchard, was divided in three places by the
Valley Freeway. The state wouldn't build a tunnel for the transport of
animals and equipment under the freeway, a common practice in eastern
Washington. So the farm broke up.